When the design of a new home begins with the need to keep as many of the trees as possible on the property, it's a sure sign the home-to-be will be energy efficient and sustainable. And that's exactly how The Ridge in Kaslo, British Columbia started.

"I was thrilled when I learned that many of the original trees on the property were not going to be cut down," said architectural designer Hajo Meijer from Ecocentric Design. "While many people would opt to remove the trees to have unobstructed views, the homeowners of The Ridge wanted their home to part of its natural landscape."

The result is stunning: looking out the large windows to the lake below, the trees make the house look like it's suspended in the air, floating in the tree tops. Here's the spectacular view from the master bedroom:

The home also features a host of other green technologies and sustainable building materials. From super insulated walls and roofs, concrete floors and triple glazed windows and doors, the home is achieved an EnerGuide rating of 83.

Blackfish Homes recently completed this modern BUILT GREEN® Platinum home in Vancouver, BC. The three storey, 3,500 square foot residence was designed to be highly energy efficient, have excellent indoor air quality, and be very durable. The home also achieved an impressive EnerGuide rating of 85.

The home features Innotech windows and doors in charchoal black exterior and interior. Two of our favourite spaces in the home are the dining room with classic Terrace Swing Doors that open onto a large outdoor living area and the living room with many large windows placed high on the walls that brighten the space.

The first BONE Structure® home in Western Canada located in the heart of the Okanagan in Kelowna, BC is now under construction.

According to a recent article in the Financial Post, pre-fabricated homes are soaring in popularity due to innovative technologies that have significantly improved the quality and the performance of modular homes. One such technology that is turning heads is Canadian made BONE Structure – a high-performance light steel construction system that is versatile, durable and eco-friendly.

The first BONE Structure home in BC is currently under construction. Nicknamed the Februar House, the two-storey, flat roofed private residence overlooking Okanagan Lake is dream home come true. The Kelowna homeowners invested many years of research, including a trip to Quebec to tour the BONE Structure manufacturing plant, prior to selecting the BONE Structure construction system.

The contemporary Februar House is designed and built by Kelowna-based Bauhaus Designs and Thomson Dwellings. A first for both firms, the Februar House is an exciting project that demonstrates the design versatility and high-performance of the BONE Structure construction system for homeowners seeking a durable and energy efficient home.

The Februar House also features a host of other green building technologies, including German engineered windows and doors by Innotech. Delivering exceptional air, water and sound resistance, Innotech windows and doors are the perfect fit for the high-performance building envelope. Together with the BONE Structure construction system, the home delivers unparalleled R-values making it one of the most energy efficient homes in the province.

We would like to extend a huge congratulations to Team Alberta for placing 9th at the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013. In what was the tightest competition in the Solar Decathlon's history, Team Alberta earned an impressive 913 points out of a total of 1000 possible points. The very close competition was a reflection of all of the quality homes displayed in California.

Team Alberta designed and built a modular, net-zero home named Borealis for this year's Solar Decathlon. The affordable, comfortable and energy efficient home was built in response to the immediate need for housing for the resource industry working in remote areas of Western Canada. + Read more about Borealis here

The winner of the Solar Decathlon is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellent with optimal production and maximum efficiency. The winner of this year's tight competition was Team Austria from the Vienna University of Technology. Congrats to Team Austria!

During the ten day competition, Director of Business Development at Innotech George Nickel and Director of Sales from Fentro Technologies Henry Nickel went to California to support Team Alberta and take part in some of the Solar Decathlon's festivities. Here are some of our favourite photos:

An arial photo from Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California where the 19 competing teams re-constructed their homes for the competition:

The entrance to the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013:

Below right: Team Alberta's Project Manager Alexandre inviting us into Borealis. Below left: Neal from Team Alberta with George from Innotech.

The back of Team Alberta's t-shirts showing all of the sponsors of Borealis:

Congratulations once again to Team Alberta for all of their hard work and genuine passion for high-performance, energy-efficient design and building. It was a pleasure working with you and cheering you every step of the way! See you in 2015!

Two years of creating, designing and building a solar-powered home has come down to these 10 days of competition! Team Alberta, pictured above with Borealis, is currently in Irvine, California for the much-anticipated 2013 Solar Decathlon.

We've been closely following all of the excitement on Team Alberta's Facebook page and Twitter feed. And if all the buzz is to be believed, it sounds like our windows and doors are the talk of Borealis:

You can support Team Alberta by voting online for the People's Choice Award. It takes less than a minute to show your support to a dedicated team of students who have spent hours helping make Borealis the hit that it is.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recently held their annual ceremony for the Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Awards, which highlight creative development concepts, innovative financing strategies, great design, and superior management and marketing in the apartment and condo marketplace. This year Innotech was very proud to be associated with two projects nominated under the category of "Best Example of Green Building Concepts"; Expo Apartments in Seattle, and University Pointe at College Station in Portland.

Beating out stiff competition from all across America, University Pointe was crowned the winner. LEED Gold certified, the student housing building was cited for its unique high density planning, green roofs, integration with local public transit, and its energy efficiency. Innotech supplied over 1800 windows to the project, which was completed under very stringent timelines.

The Ridge in Kaslo, British Columbia is nearing completion! Built and designed by EcoCentric Design, The Ridge is a sustainable private residence on the shores of Kootenay Lake overlooking the majestic Kootenay Rockies.

The project features triple glazed Innotech windows and exterior doors in charcoal exterior and interior finish. The home has numerous extra large openings to take full advantage of the views. Custom shapes, combinations and creative placement of the windows throughout the home also make this home an architectural gem.

Here are a few photos of the project taken this year throughout the building process. We'll be taking professional photos next year once the landscaping is complete and the sunny weather returns. Stay tuned!

Department G, the Canadian Home Builders Association of British Columbia's environmental stewardship division, has announced the finalists for the 2013 department g Awards. The awards recognize sustainable building for single family homes in BC.

The Innotech-supplied project 'Sidney by the Sea' is one of the finalists! The stunning West Coast style home was built by award-winning Coastal Construction. The home is a BUILT GREEN® Platinum certified oceanfront home. Designed by the homeowner, one of the home's most striking features is the expansive window and door wall seen above that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Learn more about the project here.

There's nothing more exciting than seeing an excavator break ground for the future site of a beautiful new project!

Casa Torre, a new single family residence by home designer and builder Christopher Gelber, is now in the beginning stages of construction. The three-storey, 3,000 square foot contemporary home is nestled in a steep hillside in the Portland hills with serene views of Forest Park.

"I designed the house to take the greatest advantage of the landscape and so all three levels are elegantly tied to the land, interconnected by trails that meander across the site." - Christopher Gelber

Not only is Casa Torre a beautiful home to look at, but it will also be a comfortable home to live in. Christopher intends to build the home with state-of-the-art technologies that will contribute to a highly durable and energy efficient home - including Innotech Tilt + Turn Windows.

The Bagley Nature Center, a classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth, has been recognized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) as one of the ten winners of this year's Top Ten Green Projects Program.

The COTE Top Ten Green Projects Program recognizes projects that demonstrate the highest accomplishment in environmentally sustainable architecture, combining inspired design, systems analysis, and evaluation of performance. In its 16th year, the program is the profession's best known recognition program for sustainable design excellence. An impressive jury evaluates all submissions based on ten sustainability measures and metrics to select the top 10 winners.

Completed in 2010, the Bagley Nature Center is a LEED® Platinum Certified project that has performed beyond expectations in terms of performance efficiency. The project features a host of sustainable building practices and materials, including triple glazed Innotech windows and doors, designed to help the building perform at its best in Minnesota's cold climate.

To learn more about the Bagley Nature Center and the 2012 COTE Top Ten Green Projects Program winners, visit AIATopTen.org.